


A Particularly Interesting Christmas

by shadowofrazia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Not Epilogue Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-02
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-02-27 20:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 7,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2704976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowofrazia/pseuds/shadowofrazia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Christmas drabbles written for Slythindor100's holiday fest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ribbon of Blue

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Of all the letters and invitations they’d received in the past few weeks, Harry had a feeling this was going to give them the most trouble. He and Draco stared down at the letter that had just been delivered by Narcissa’s owl, the sleek eagle owl Harry had always assumed belonged to Draco at school.

It really was a pretty owl. The letter, on the other hand…

“I think we can rule out the chance of it being a Howler,” Draco said dryly. “If it had been, we would’ve lost our eyebrows ages ago.”

“I think I would’ve preferred a Howler, to be honest,” Harry muttered, carefully picking up the parchment. At least he thought it was parchment. It was practically translucent and, knowing Narcissa, was probably made of pure silver.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Draco said, picking up Harry’s still-full wineglass along with his own. “Mother got out the good stationary. The least you could do is listen to what she has to say.”

Harry flushed apologetically and undid the dark blue ribbon around Narcissa’s note as Draco strode from the room. Narcissa’s handwriting was perfect and elegant where it curled and looped across the page in dark ink. It was a shame it was so beautiful, really. It made Harry feel worse for not wanting to read it.

Harry ran his fingers over the nearly pressed Malfoy seal at the bottom of the page, done in silver, of course. Harry sighed and wandered into the kitchen, letter in hand.

“Your parents have invited us over for Christmas.”

“Have they?” Draco asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Harry didn’t miss the smile on his face. He snorted.

“As if you didn’t know,” he said, leaning against the counter beside Draco. “Or do you send all your letters in silver?”

“The letters come in gold, actually. Invitations come in silver.”

“Oh, my mistake,” Harry said, glancing around. “Where’d you put my drink?”

Draco laughed. “As if I’d have this conversation with you while you’re _drinking_ , you bloody lightweight.”

“Is it going to be that lengthy of a conversation?” asked Harry. “Do you want to visit your parents for Christmas?”

“Do you?”

Harry scowled. “That doesn’t help--”

“It does. I’m not going to force you to stay a week at my parents’, especially for Christmas, if you don’t want to. My god, I can’t even imagine the whining.”

“You’re not very good at this _convincing_ thing, you know.”

“Not convincing," Draco reminded gently.

“No, of course not,” Harry snapped, and then ran a hand through his hair. “This shouldn’t be so hard. Do we want to spend Christmas with your parents or not?”

“Considering our...less than pleasant history, I’m surprised you didn’t run screaming at the thought.” Draco rested his hand on Harry’s arm. “As much as I’d love to spend Christmas with my family, I know the Manor is full of terrible memories for both of us. if you don’t want to go, we can stay here, or you can go to--”

“No, no, Draco,” Harry said quickly. “Together. It’s our first real Christmas together--I mean really together--and Christmas is meant for family. If we’ve been invited, we should go.” He took a deep breath. “Yes, let’s go.”

Draco smiled a bit sadly and pressed a kiss to Harry’s jaw. “Would you like to write the response or shall I?”

“I’ve got to send something to Ron and Hermione,” Harry said. “If you don’t mind?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I did,” Draco murmured. "Your wine is beside the sink." 

He squeezed Harry’s arm briefly and left the room. Harry waited until he heard Draco going up the stairs before leaning against the counter and covering his face with his hands.

He had a feeling this was going to be a particularly interesting Christmas.


	2. The Scent of Evergreen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's always loved the scent of evergreen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day Two of hols2014 at Slythindor100!

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Harry loved the scent of evergreen. Christmas had been the only chance he’d really had to smell it, peeking from around the door of his cupboard and just breathing it in, pretending like he didn’t hear the sound of the Dursleys laughing over cheerful Christmas music.

The evening was theirs, but when the house had gone still and Harry knew everyone was asleep, he’d creep silently from his cupboard to where the tree stood fully lit in the front window.

It was always the same, that swooping feeling in his stomach at the first glance of the tree. The tree was always gigantic--the Dursleys wouldn’t be seen with anything but the absolute best, after all--towering over him in a way that should have been terrifying, but just filled him with a wonderful feeling, like he’d sipped something fizzy. He’d take in the lights that somehow managed to make even the Dursleys’ house feel just a little bit magical. He’d breathe, slow and deep, letting his eyes drift closed as the scent enveloped him. And then, he’d sit, staring up at the lights and the ornaments, and for a while, everything would feel okay.

And later that night, when Draco found Harry sitting beside their tree, eyes closed and breathing deeply, Draco sat beside him, grasped his hand, and breathed. 


	3. Christmas Pudding

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Ron doesn't hate you because you like men, Harry,” Hermione said calmly over the dinner he'd helped her cook. “In fact he doesn’t hate you at all.”

“Then why doesn’t he come when I invite him?” asked Harry, not caring at all if it was a little bit petulant.

“You know he and Mal--Draco don’t get on well,” Hermione said, grimacing when Harry snorted. “Okay, so that’s putting it gently, I know. But he’s also feeling a bit betrayed you didn’t tell us. I did, too, at first.”

“I couldn’t tell anyone, Hermione. You know why.” Harry stabbed at the food on his plate.

Hermione sighed sympathetically. “I do, Harry, but it still hurt to find out nearly two years after the fact that you’d been with Draco. Especially after everything that happened....” She trailed off, but before Harry had a chance to respond, she stood and asked, “Do you want some plum pudding? Molly sent it over.”

“What? Oh, sure.”

Harry drummed his fingers on the tabletop as he waited for Hermione to return, and she did, carrying a pudding that was entirely too big for two people--assuming one of those people wasn’t Ron. She cut him a slice and set it in front of him before doing the same for herself. They ate in silence until Harry decided to speak.

“I’m spending Christmas at the Manor,” he said. “Malfoy Manor. Uh, Draco’s parents invited us, and since bringing Draco to the Weasleys’ wouldn’t be the best idea…”

Hermione looked startled for a moment. “Well, if that’s the case,” she said carefully, putting on a brave smile, “you might as well take the rest of this home with you. You can’t have Christmas without Molly’s baking.”

Harry smiled weakly at her forced cheeriness. "That'd be great, Hermione."

Silence fell between them for a long moment, then Hermione placed her hand over Harry's. 

"He'll come around, Harry," she said when Harry finally looked up. "He always does." 

Harry nodded and desperately hoped she was right. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've never had Christmas Pudding (yayyy Americans) and didn't know if it was something only eaten on Christmas Day, so forgive me if this is a little bit...wrong.


	4. Meek and the Bold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Four of 2014hols over at Slythindor100 on LJ!

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Mother owled the portkey today,” Draco said casually without looking up from whatever he was pretending to read. “She told me it’s set to activate on the twelfth, but that we’re welcome any time before then, of course.”

“Of course,” Harry murmured. He turned Teddy’s gift over in his hands, lifted his hand to tape the wrapping paper in place, and then froze.

“Wait,” he said. “The twelfth? That’s nearly two weeks before Christmas!”

Draco looked up, finally, and smiled. “What do you think my mother meant when she invited us to spend Christmas with them at the Manor?”

“You said a week!”

“So I was off by a few days.” Draco shrugged.

Harry scowled. “You were off by seven; that’s way more than ‘a few.’”

“Harry, you defeated the Dark Lord, you fought off a basilisk at the age of twelve. Surely, my parents aren’t nearly as bad as all that.”

Running a hand over his face, Harry settled Teddy’s gift in his lap. “No,” he said. “Well, yes...I mean--I don’t know what I mean. There’s this part of me that really wants them to like me, because I know how important they are to you, but I can’t forget what they did before all that, even if your mother is essentially the reason I’m alive right now.”

The words came out in a rush and Harry felt his face heat in embarrassment. He looked away. Draco stayed quiet for a long moment, until Harry finally looked up at him.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Harry. What my parents think about our relationship didn’t matter in sixth year and it doesn’t matter now, not to me,” Draco said. “And we can leave whenever you need. Besides, it’s not as though we’re going to be trapped at the Manor for two weeks, if that’s what you were imagining.”

Harry grimaced: that’d been exactly what he’d imagined.

Draco laughed, though not unkindly. “As much as I love them, I don’t think even I could handle them for two whole weeks.”

“That’s not nearly as terrifying,” said Harry, releasing a breath he hadn’t even realised he’d been holding. He picked up Teddy’s gift and finished wrapping it before setting it aside.

“Aren’t you going to ask what the portkey is?” Draco asked, following with his eyes as Harry went to set Teddy’s neatly wrapped gift on the small pile beside the tree.

“I dunno,” said Harry, “I assumed it’d be a gold bar or something.”

Draco kicked his socked foot out at Harry as he passed, and frowned when Harry dodged it easily.

“I know I was a little shit about my money in school, but I’d like to think I had more tact than that,” Draco sniffed.

“You bought the entire Slytherin team brand new, state of the art brooms. Tact was not your strongest skill.”

“Touche,” Draco said, and then pulled something from the back of his book. He held it out to Harry, who took it, realising at once what it was.

“A ticket for the Hogwarts Express,” he murmured, feeling strangely choked up. He hadn’t seen one since his sixth year. “It’s awfully pretty for a portkey, isn’t it?”

“Mother takes her guests very seriously.”

Harry managed to huff out a laugh. He handed the ticket back to Draco.“I’m going to start dinner. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

He stood up and hurried out of the room. Draco watched him go, tucking the ticket back into his book without a word.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from: Carol of the Bells


	5. Suit & Tie

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Draco, I don’t know why you’re worrying so much about how I look. We both know everyone’s going to be focused on you,” Harry grumbled, lifting his chin slightly so Draco could do up his bowtie _again._

“Because after it’s all over, you’re going to be standing next to me, and I can’t have my students’ parents thinking you’re anything less than brilliant.”

“I’ll be sure to keep my mouth closed, then.”

Draco paused, glared, and then resumed straightening Harry’s tie. Harry reached up and stilled Draco’s nervous hands.

“Tonight’s going to go perfectly,” he said soothingly, “but we really do need to leave now if we don’t want to be late.”

By the time they’d arrived at the school, a few of Draco’s students had already arrived. Draco gave Harry a quick, nervous kiss and ran off to make sure everything backstage was going smoothly, leaving Harry to find his seat on his own.

Harry reached up halfway through the performance and realised his tie had come loose.


	6. The Old Year Passes

  
[ ](http://photobucket.com/)   


The Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Godric’s Hollow was something Harry had tried to attend in the past three years since the end of the War. That first Christmas had been so hard for everyone it hadn’t really felt like Christmas.

To clear his mind and escape the grief that had threatened to suffocate him, Harry had apparated to Godric’s Hollow. He’d expected the small village to be as still and quiet as it’d been the previous year, but he’d arrived in the middle of a celebration. He’d nearly gone right home, but after a moment’s thought, he’d walked towards the noise and the lights and the excitement.

“Are you sure it’s alright I come?” Draco asked, anxiously twisting his scarf in his hands. “I mean, everyone’s always thrilled to see you, but there’s a reason I’m working at a Muggle school.”

“I won’t let anything happen,” Harry promised, taking Draco’s scarf and draping it over his shoulders. He smoothed his hands over Draco’s shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss. “Ready?”

They apparated into Godric’s Hollow Graveyard. Harry paused, still holding onto Draco, and then stepped away.  

“Harry?”

"I always leave them a wreath," Harry said quietly.

Their shoes crunched quietly in the snow as Harry led the way to his parents’ graves. Neither of them spoke as Harry conjured a wreath of Christmas roses and rested it on the ground. He straightened and cleared his throat, brushing his snowy hands on his trousers. He smiled weakly.

"Come on," he said. "The tree's this way."

Draco reached over and linked his fingers with Harry's, and together they walked through the snow towards the sound of celebration.

 


	7. Maybe Just A Touch

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Draco hadn’t worn the ring since the end of the War. He stared down at it, heavy and cold in his palm. He hated it.

He hated the way it looked, the way it felt, and everything it stood for. He wanted to throw it, wanted to bury it in a hole so deep it would never be found. But he couldn’t, because everything he hated about that ring, everything it stood for, had been part of him once.

Draco shivered slightly as he slid the cool, silver ring onto his finger. He hated this ring and how it made him feel like the scared little boy who would do anything to make his father proud. His fists clenched and suddenly all he knew was the regret and the hatred and the fear that threatened every moment to swallow him whole.

But when he looked up, Harry was there with worry in his smile, love in his eyes, and Draco’s cool hand in his. He brought Draco’s hand to his lips and, with the warm feeling of Harry’s lips against his skin, Draco felt just a little bit of his hatred melt away. 


	8. Keep Your Eyes On Mine

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Harry, did you ever learn to dance?”

Harry’s head snapped up so quickly that he felt his head collide with the headboard. Scowling, he asked, “Is that really important right now?”

“It’s a yes or no question, Harry,” Draco said patiently, though his expression was anything but. Harry grimaced.

“No,” he said, smoothing his hands over the duvet. “I somehow didn’t find the time while I was roaming the British countryside for a year.”

Crossing the room, Draco held his hand out expectantly. With a sigh, Harry took Draco’s it and stood. The last time he’d done this, he was fourteen and considerably shorter. He’d led, then, and to say it was an unmitigated disaster would be putting it lightly.

“It’s very easy,” said Draco pleasantly. “I’ll lead.”

Draco waved his wand with his free hand, and Harry groaned under his breath when quiet violin music began to play. Ignoring him, Draco put his wand away and positioned Harry’s hand on his shoulder before placing his own on Harry’s waist.

“You’re not allowed to hex me when I step on your feet,” Harry muttered. He didn’t think Draco actually would, but just in case, Harry looked down at his feet when Draco stepped forward.

“Harry, look at me,” Draco murmured, still moving, even as Harry gripped his hand more tightly and didn’t look up. “ _Harry_.”

Finally, Harry raised his gaze, stumbling as he did so. Draco was kind enough not to wince too obviously when Harry trod on his foot.

“You need to relax,” Draco said.

“Why? You sound relaxed enough for the both of us!” Harry’s eyes dropped back down to their feet.

Surprisingly, Draco laughed at that and, taking his hand from Harry’s, lifted Harry’s chin. “You need to relax and you need to _trust me_. Keep your eyes on mine,” he said.

He took Harry’s hand again, and as they moved, the music swelled and Harry didn’t dare look away.  

 

 


	9. It's A Wonderful Life

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“I know I’ve worked at a Muggle school for over a year, but I’m still very impressed by what they can do with electricity.”

Harry hummed distractedly from where he was sat in front of their DVD player. It’d taken a lot of time and a lot of complicated magic to get it to work, and if he wasn’t going to undo all of that, he had to pay attention to what he was doing.

Not that he wasn’t incredibly pleased that Draco was accepting of Muggle technology. He’d never dreamt he’d hear Draco Malfoy, of all people, confess his love for Muggle technology. And he really did love it; Harry had almost fainted when he walked in on Draco trying to work a computer.

“Got it!” Harry said victoriously as the menu screen for _It’s a Wonderful Life_ appeared before their eyes. He wiped his hands on his trousers and stood, groaning slightly as his knees popped.

“You’re getting old, Harry,” Draco teased, lifting the blanket so Harry could sit beside him on the couch. “Practically ancient.”

“And getting older every day,” Harry responded, grinning as he pressed play.


	10. Up To Something

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Finished!” Draco said proudly as he walked through the door. “Merlin, I thought that week would never end!”

He paused, taking in the scene before him. The lights in the living room were off, and everything was bathed in the dim glow coming from the Christmas tree. There were two glasses and a small, neatly wrapped box sitting on the coffee table in front of Harry, who was smiling shyly.

“What’s all this?” Draco asked, unwinding his scarf and draping it over the back of a chair, along with his coat.

“I thought, since we’re going to see Andromeda and Teddy tomorrow, and then to your parents’ the day after, that we could have our own Christmas together tonight.”

“You’re up to something. That’s definitely your ‘up to something’ face. I remember it from school,” Draco said, but he sat beside Harry on the couch anyway.

“Well, then there’s no point in me denying anything, is there?” Harry asked. He handed Draco a glass, and Draco noticed the glass was trembling as he took it. He frowned.

“I know even your eyesight isn’t so bad that you can’t notice there’s only one gift on the table,” he said quietly.

“Fine,” Harry said quickly. “I was going to wait until later, but I thought maybe you’d appreciate it more if we didn’t do this in front of a bunch of people, so you can feel free to refuse without feeling pressured.”

Draco set his glass aside and picked up the box. He could guess what was inside—there were few things that involved being asked something in front of a crowd. Smiling slightly at Harry, he carefully tore the paper from the box and opened it.

“You were so upset the other day,” said Harry. “I thought maybe you’d be happier with a different ring.”

He coughed.

“Are you proposing?” asked Draco without taking his eyes from the silver ring nestled in the box.

“Not unless you want me to.” Harry’s voice sounded just a little bit hopeful. “But if you’d like, it can be just a ring. It’s charmed to fit whatever finger you wear it on, mostly because I remember the time my Aunt Petunia accidentally washed her wedding ring down the drain and I had to—“

“Yes,” said Draco, cutting Harry off midsentence.

Harry blinked, eyes wide behind his glasses. “Yes?”

Draco silently took the ring from its box and slid it onto his ring finger. He held it in front of his face, pretending not to notice how widely Harry was grinning, or the swoop of exhilaration in his stomach at the—strange, but not unpleasant—sight of the thin silver band around his finger.

Just like Harry said, it was a perfect fit.


	11. A Spoonful of Sugar

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Harry!”

A shrill voice sounded through the room as Harry and Draco stepped out of the fireplace and into Andromeda Tonks’ living room. Harry barely had a chance to regain his balance—he still _despised_ travelling by Floo—before he had an armful of three year old. He hugged Teddy close to his chest and noticed his hair was incredibly similar to Harry’s own.

“Do you have presents?” Teddy asked. Harry laughed.

“And here I thought you were happy to see me!” he put Teddy down and allowed himself to be pulled into a tight hug by Andromeda.

“You boys certainly took your time getting here!” she said, pulling away to wrap her arms around Draco. “I thought Teddy was going to lose his mind waiting for you two! I’ve already had to hide the Christmas crackers from him. Remind me to thank Ronald for teaching Teddy how to use those last year.” She rolled her eyes.

“Right after I thank him for the Wheezes quill he slipped into my bag a few weeks ago,” Harry said lightly. Andromeda’s smile faded, and Harry knew she wanted to ask how he and Ron were getting on, but he didn’t want to ruin the evening with his answer. Draco cleared his throat slightly.

“Is that dinner I smell?” he asked.

“What? Oh, yes,” Andromeda said, cheer back just as quickly as it’d gone. “It’s nearly ready. Would either of you like something to drink while we wait?”

Draco shook his head, but Harry followed Andromeda into the kitchen, leaning his back against the counter as he watched her stir the soup that was cooking on the stove.

“You two seem happy,” she said after a moment.

Harry shrugged. “I guess we’re alright with each other.”

“You’re great with each other,” Andromeda corrected. “Though the both of you are entirely too skinny. I knew it was a bad idea to have two young men trying to cook for themselves. You probably live on biscuits and tea—“

“We live on bread and water, actually,” Harry said. “Neither of us can be bothered to turn on the kettle.”

Andromeda swatted his shoulder lightly. “Mind your manners, young man, or I might have to keep Teddy away from you. We already had an event this morning, though I suppose he’s always cranky around the full moon.”

“That was a few days ago, wasn’t it?”

Andromeda hummed. “Saturday,” she said. “I’m just pleased Draco’s willing to brew the Wolfsbane for him every month, even if Teddy despises the taste.”

“Remus did, too,” Harry said, smiling. “I remember he said it was a pity sugar made the potion useless.”

“It’s a bloody tragedy, if you ask me. It takes nothing short of a miracle to convince a three year old to take a potion that foul.” She scowled and tucked her dark brown hair behind her ear. “Still, having you two come around always helps. Teddy never fails to get excited about that.”

“Just give us a call and we’ll be here,” Harry said, reaching up into a nearby cupboard and pulling out a glass. He filled it with water and said, “I’m going to take this out to Draco; flooing always makes him thirsty, even if he won’t admit it.”

“I’ll be in here,” Andromeda said, and then added, “And Harry?”

“Yes?” Harry asked, turning back with his hand on the doorknob.

“Congratulations.”

It took Harry a moment to catch up, but when he did, he flushed.

“I—thank you,” he said. Andromeda nodded once and turned back to the food, so Harry couldn’t see the wide grin on her face.

 


	12. Trekking Through The Snow

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“I don’t see why they couldn’t just portkey us into the house,” Harry grumbled.

It was cold and entirely too early to be trekking through the snow. He hadn’t even had time for coffee, thanks to Draco’s forgetting to set some sort of alarm the night before. (Of course, Draco insisted that it was Harry’s fault, which it wasn’t. They both knew not to depend on Harry to set the alarm, because he would forget. He always forgot.)

“My mother figured you wouldn’t want to be portkeyed into a place that holds so many upsetting memories. The mind can do strange things, and she probably didn’t want to risk it,” Draco said.

Harry hadn’t thought of that.

“Sorry,” he said quietly. “That was...something I hadn’t considered.”

“Not to mention it’s considered incredibly bad manners to portkey right into somebody’s house,” Draco added. “And it doesn’t matter anyway. We’re nearly there.”

Nearly there was an understatement, thought Harry a moment later, after they turned a corner and came face to face with Malfoy Manor. He stopped, staring for a moment, before he spoke.

“It looks different.”

“Of course it does,” said Draco. “I told you mother made some changes, didn’t I? Ages ago.”

“I assumed it’d be something like...new curtains. I didn’t expect it to look…” Harry trailed off, unsure of how to finish. The house didn’t look inviting, really, but no longer did it look like a dark, impenetrable fortress, either. He relaxed slightly and gave Draco's hand a quick squeeze.

They might actually be able to do this. 


	13. Home For The Holidays

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Narcissa Malfoy was wearing colours and a smile, two things Harry never thought he’d see her wearing. She pulled her son into a tight hug, murmuring something into his shoulder that made Draco laugh. Harry stood beside the door, watching the scene before him.

“And Harry,” Narcissa said, releasing her son. She smiled at him and stepped forward, hesitated for a moment, and then pulled Harry into a hug as well. Harry stiffened and then, with an encouraging nod from Draco, hugged her back.

Their hug was far shorter than the hug between her and her son, and much less comfortable, but Harry appreciated it nevertheless.

“You both look exhausted,” she said, stepping back and smoothing her hands down her robes. “Have you eaten? I’ll have one of the house-elves bring you something to eat.”

“Where’s father?” asked Draco.

Narcissa turned. “He’ll be down for lunch, but he’s in his study if you’d like to see him.”

Draco looked over at Harry and then shook his head. “No, we should go unpack.”

Narcissa looked a bit disappointed at that, but nodded. “Of course.”

“Come on, Harry,” said Draco. “My room’s this way.”

He led Harry up a flight of stairs by the hand, their footsteps echoing against the marble.

“Okay?” asked Draco, turning down a long hallway.

Harry nodded. “I wasn’t expecting her to hug me,” he said. “Seems...I don’t know. She always seemed so...cold to me.”

“Careful, that’s your future mother-in-law you’re talking about,” Draco said sternly, though his smile told Harry he was teasing. “The coldness is practically bred into us. It’s a defense mechanism. After a while you learn to turn it on and off. Oh, here we are.”

Draco pushed open a door and pulled Harry inside.

“Ah, she redid this, too,” he said, looking around.  “I quite like it.”

Harry took in the dark colour of the wardrobe and the bed frame, and the silver colour of the duvet. Then, his eyes travelled to the chandelier.

“I think I’ll go back to my cupboard now,” he muttered, closing the door behind himself.

“Oh, be quiet,” Draco said, unshrinking their suitcases and unpacking them with a wave of his wand. He sat on the bed. Harry sat beside him, barely able to restrain a groan at how comfortable the bed was. Draco laughed.

“It’s quite strange to be home,” he said.

“But is it good?”

Draco nodded slowly.

“Yes,” he said. “It’s very good."


	14. Not Your Father's Son

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“And this is my grandfather on my mother’s side, Cygnus Black III,” Draco said, tapping his finger against the beautifully embroidered tapestry. It was loads nicer than the Black Family Tapestry had been, but Harry wasn’t sure if that was due to care or money.

The man in the image was scowling fiercely, and Harry couldn’t stop himself from saying, “He doesn’t look very pleasant.”

“Oh, he was absolutely horrible,” Draco said pleasantly. “One Christmas, he gave me a set of cursed Gobstones, to teach me a lesson of some sort. Mother nearly killed him.”

“Draco, you know it’s impolite to speak  ill of the dead.”

Lucius Malfoy’s smooth voice cut through the room, making both Draco and Harry jump. As usual, Draco was the first to recover.

“I think we’re a bit past you lecturing me on my manners, father.”

Harry could swear he felt the temperature of the room drop a few degrees when Lucius smiled at that. The smile was sharp and cold, and Harry was thrown back to that night at the Ministry, when he thought that smile would be the last thing he ever saw.

“Mr. Potter, could I speak with my son for a moment?” Lucius asked, smile still very much in place. “Alone?”

Harry glanced over at Draco, who nodded, jaw clenched.

“I’ll be in the library,” Harry murmured. He squeezed Draco’s hand once and walked silently from the room.

Lucius waited for the sound of the door closing before he went to stand beside his son. They stood together, neither one speaking, staring at the tapestry.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Lucius asked quietly.

“You are no longer in control of my life, father,” Draco responded. “I wanted you to be sure of that.”

“This is not the life I wished for you to have,” said Lucius. “Engaged to a Half-blood, working with Muggles, living in a flat in the middle of a Muggle neighbourhood...it’s an embarrassment to our name.”

“I think, if either of us is in the place to comment on whether or not something is embarrassing to the Malfoy name, it should be the one who didn’t blindingly follow a genocidal maniac in his quest for power.”

“I did what I thought was right for this family!”

“And I’m doing what I know is right for me,” Draco said, and looked at his father at last. “I know you did what you thought was right, but it wasn’t, and I’m doing everything I can to make things better. Harry saved me, he saved this family, and if your petty hatred won’t let you see that, then you’re going to have to blast me off this tapestry, because I won’t be your son anymore.”

“I didn’t realise you felt so strongly against me,” said Lucius, looking away.

Draco ran his fingers over the silver ring on his right hand. Then, he slipped it off and held it out to his father. “Not you, father; simply the ideas that have poisoned this family for generations.”

Lucius took the ring between two fingers, hand shaking. He laughed bitterly and he looked down at it in the palm of his hand. “I suppose you’re not your father’s son after all.”

Rolling his eyes at the ceiling, Draco said, “I’m still your son. I’m just...not you.”

You melodramatic fool.

“Look, father,” Draco said, quickly banishing that thought from his head. “I’m happy and I’m safe, and no, I’ll never really know if this was the best choice, but it’s the one I’ve made and it’s going to work.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I can,” Draco said with a small smile.

“Are you about to tell me you’re a Seer now, too?” Lucius snapped.

“No, but if you look closely, you’ll see the tapestry’s changed.” Draco pointed to where Harry James Potter had appeared in the space beside his own. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish showing Harry the house. Have a good afternoon, father.”

And with that, he walked, just a little bit smugly, from the room.

 

 


	15. Lightning

 

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Draco loved to be the first to wake in the morning. It wasn’t unusual--Draco’s job meant early mornings more often than it didn’t, and Harry’s day started considerably later. What _was_  unusual was for Draco to be able to lie beside Harry, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept.

Harry was always complaining about being too warm, mostly because Draco was always complaining about being too cold. Even though they turned the heat down at night, and even though all the extra blankets were on Draco’s side of the bed, Harry insisted on sleeping with his shirt off. Not that Draco minded, of course. Harry was quite nice to look at, and to be fair, sleeping next to him did occasionally feel like sleeping beside a furnace.

Draco rested his head on one arm and traced his fingers over the scar that covered the left side of Harry’s chest. It started in the centre, right above his heart, where the Dark Lord’s curse had struck and spread like lightning over Harry’s skin.

Harry stirred in his sleep, and Draco moved his hand away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your comments! I've been swamped with finals, so I haven't been able to respond to them, but I do see them and they've definitely made these past couple weeks better!


	16. Brave Enough

[](http://photobucket.com/) 

He found her by accident.

It was late, nearly three am, when Harry approached the door to the drawing room. It was haunting his dreams, his every thought, and he had to see what it had become. He gripped the cold metal of the handle and turned it slowly, wincing as the hinges creaked as he pushed the door open.

The room was empty, but a fire was lit, and there she was, sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace in her usual elegant clothes. Purple, from what he could see by the firelight as she turned to face him.

“Harry.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said quickly, already backing from the room. “I didn’t mean to--”

“No, please,” said Narcissa kindly. “Join me.”

Harry sat beside her in front of the fire and crossed his legs. He felt strangely underdressed, sitting there in his flannel pyjama bottoms and his ratty t-shirt. He had the feeling he’d feel just as underdressed in a three-piece suit, but that was neither here nor there.

“Draco mentioned that you occasionally have difficulty sleeping,” Narcissa said after a moment. “I can get you a sleeping draught, if you would like.”

“No, thank you. Those have never worked very well on me.” Harry picked at a loose thread hanging from the hem of his shirt. “I just walk around until I get tired enough to fall asleep…”

“But that’s not the only thing that brought you to this room.” When Harry didn’t respond, Narcissa went on. “I was surprised to hear you and Draco were coming,” she said. “I thought, after all the terrible things that happened in this place, neither of you would dare step through its doors...It’s the only room in the house I haven’t touched since the war. It felt too much like trying to forget the past.”

She smiled slightly and stood. Harry made to do the same, but was stopped by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“No, stay,” she said. “But I do think it’s time for me to get to bed. Goodnight, Harry.”

“Goodnight,” said Harry, stunned by the feeling of her hand on his shoulder. He heard her shoes on the hard floor and, just before she opened the door, said, “I wanted to see if I could do it.”

“Hm?” she asked.

Harry looked away, feeling foolishly childish in a way he hadn’t in a very long time.

“This room. I wanted to see if I was brave enough.”

“If there’s anything I’ve never doubted about you, Harry, it was whether you were brave enough.” Narcissa smiled again. “Sleep well, and don’t forget to put the fire out before you go.”

The door clicked softly shut behind her, and Harry let out a breath he hadn’t even realised he’d been holding.

 

 


	17. Ruthless

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“The last time I was outside in the snow for so long, I was living in a tent, Draco.”

“We’ve been outside for twenty minutes, Harry. Stop being so dramatic,” Draco said. “I know for a fact that you’ve taken walks longer than this.”

“We haven’t got snow like this in London.”

“All the more reason to enjoy it!” Draco shot a grin over his shoulder, and Harry knew in that moment exactly what he was going to do.

Harry waited for Draco to turn around before he bent down and picked up a handful of snow. He pressed it into a lumpy ball and, before Draco had a chance to look back to see where he’d got to, Harry threw the snowball, hitting Draco square in the back.

Draco went very, very still.

“What was that?” he asked slowly.

In hindsight, this may not have been the best idea, Harry thought, watching as Draco bent over to scoop up his own handful of snow. He turned, forming it into a ball as he stared Harry down.

“Draco,” Harry said, backing away. “Draco, remember how much you love me and that it’s Christmas and if I don't come back, somebody will—agh!”

As he tried to back away and turn to run at the same time in shin-deep snow, Harry stumbled, falling forward into the freezing powder. He scrambled to his feet, just in time for Draco to throw another snowball.

By the time they got back to the Manor, it was nearly dark, and both of them were shivering and soaked to the skin, but neither of them could stop grinning.


	18. Hang All The Mistletoe

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“What do you mean your mother wants us to get out the decorations?”

“I mean my mother wants us to get out the decorations.”

Harry rolled his eyes at the ceiling, but followed Draco up more stairs than Harry even realised the Manor had.

“The house looks pretty decorated to me,” said Harry.

“If you’re so bothered with walking, you could always go sit with my parents.” Draco raised an eyebrow, challenging, if just a bit irritated.

“No,” said Harry. “I just… _more_ decorations? Where are they going to go?”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to think of something,” Draco said. “Especially considering the way you decorated our house this Christmas; I thought you’d gone a bit mad, to be honest.”

“I agreed to come here, didn’t I?”

Draco snorted. “That you did, Harry.” Draco stopped at a door ( _Finally!_ Thought Harry) and held out his hand.

“Besides,” Draco said, “I haven’t seen any mistletoe around yet. It could all be in this room.”

“Well, in that case!” said Harry, and he took Draco’s hand and pulled him inside.

 


	19. Only A Party

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“You look like someone shot your dog.”

Harry scowled up at Draco and wordlessly handed him the letter he held. Taking it, Draco read the letter quickly and then sat beside Harry on the stairs.

“So what are we going to do?” he asked.

Harry shrugged. “They invited us to their Christmas party.”

“I can see that,” Draco said dryly. He leaned his elbows on his knees and faced Harry. “So?”

“Do you want to go?”

“I don’t think that matters,” said Draco. “They invited us, Harry. We have to go.”

“We don’t have to do anything, Draco, especially if you don’t want to,” Harry said. “It’s just a Christmas party.”

“Ron and Hermione don’t invite us places, Harry. They invite you.” Draco reached out and grasped Harry’s hand. “Look, they must really love you if they’re willing to put up with my ferrety self for a night. I doubt Hermione would invite us without Ron’s knowing. Maybe he’s…” Draco paused. “We’re going. We have to.”

Draco plucked the letter from Harry’s hand. “I’ll go write a reply, shall I?” He kissed Harry’s temple and stood, smirking in a way that strongly reminded Harry of their school days. “It’ll be fine. It’s only a party, after all.” 


	20. A Horde of Angry Weasleys

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Typically, when I see someone going to a party, I expect them to be excited…you two look like you’re preparing for battle,” Narcissa said pleasantly from where she sat on the couch before the fireplace.

“I’d rather—“

“Harry Potter, if you finish that sentence, I will hex you and then lock you outside in the snow until the New Year,” Draco said sharply, throwing a handful of Floo powder into the fireplace and stepping into the green flames. He held out his hand and forced a smile. “Shall we?”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of George’s fireworks will misfire, and we’ll all have to leave early,” Harry muttered, grimacing apologetically at the furious scowl Draco sent him. To be honest, he’d rather face a horde of angry and betrayed Weasleys than one angry Draco. With that thought in mind, he took Draco’s hand and let the flames whisk them away.

Harry tumbled forward out of the fireplace and was only saved from falling by Draco’s tight grip on his arm.

“Someday, you will be able to Floo without nearly maiming yourself upon arrival,” Draco sighed, pulling Harry up and dusting the ash from Harry’s shoulders.

“It’s been eleven years; if I can’t do it now, I don’t think I ever—“

“Harry!”

Harry turned and immediately felt someone collide with him. A flowery scent hit his nostrils, and he knew it was Ginny he was holding. He grinned against her shoulder and lifted her off the floor.

“It’s been too long,” he said, and was surprised when she pulled away and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

“And whose fault is that, you fucking idiot!”

“Ow!” Harry said, flinching away. “What was that—“

“It’s been months since any of us other than Hermione from heard from you!” Ginny said angrily. “You couldn’t even send a post card?”

“I thought—“

“You thought we’d abandon you because you’re dating this ferrety git?” she asked, and seemed to suddenly remember Draco was still there. “And _you!_ ”

Draco raised his hands in surrender. “If it’s all the same to you, I’m the one who convinced him to come tonight, and I’d greatly appreciate it if the pair of us could make it home in one piece.”

Ginny glowered at him for a moment and then, to Harry’s immense surprise, laughed and pulled Draco into a short hug.

“Come on, the others are in the kitchen. Dinner’s nearly ready.”

Harry took Draco’s hand and squeezed it tight, and the pair of them followed Ginny into the kitchen.

 


	21. It Doesn't Have To Be A Snowman

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Harry, look! Look!” Teddy wriggled in Harry’s arms, reaching out towards the large castle built entirely of snow. “A castle!”

Harry laughed, wincing at the shrillness of Teddy’s voice and the feeling of little feet kicking into his side.

“Are you alright?” Draco asked Harry. “I can carry him if you’d like.”

“I’m fine,” Harry said. “Just…I probably should have had less to drink last night.”

“I _told_ you, Harry.”

He had told him, but Harry wasn’t about to admit that. He hadn’t even asked for a hangover potion that morning, a decision he was beginning to regret.

Pretending he hadn’t heard Draco, Harry said too enthusiastically, “Look, Teddy! That one looks like the Hogwarts Express!”

Draco rolled his eyes and followed Harry through the crowd.


	22. All I Want For Christmas

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

 

Harry awoke to the feeling of Draco’s fingers tracing over the scar on his chest. He turned his head away, trying to pretend to still be asleep, but Draco knew him better than that.

“I know you’re awake,” Draco said quietly, still stroking.

Harry laughed and faced Draco. “I’ve always been shit at acting,” he said. He pressed a short kiss to Draco’s lips. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“I’ll never understand what it is with you and that scar,” Harry said, closing his eyes and allowing himself to feel Draco’s touch. “It’s horrible.”

“I think it’s beautiful,” Draco said, kissing his way over Harry’s chest and up his neck, loving the way Harry’s heartbeat fluttered against his lips.

“Draco, we’re at your parents’ house.”

Draco ran his hand over Harry’s chest and down the flat pane of his stomach. Harry’s breath caught, and Draco grinned.

“It’s a very big house.”


	23. Bells In The Distance

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“I feel like we haven’t had a quiet moment to ourselves in ages,” Harry sighed, leaning against Draco on the couch. 

“Well, we had yesterday morning to ourselves,” Draco said, a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s not my fault that you weren’t very quiet.”

Harry elbowed him and then settled his head on Draco’s shoulder. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the warmth and the stillness of the room. Harry thought it smelled a bit like peppermint, and wondered if that was a charm he could learn, or if he’d have to burn those weirdly expensive candles Aunt Petunia liked so much.

They did smell good.

Harry closed his eyes, inhaled, and then quietly said, “I remember, during the war, Hermione and I didn’t even know it was Christmas until we got to Godric’s Hollow. They were singing in the church, and I could see the candles through the window …" Harry paused. "Looking back, I feel like I should have been sad, but I think I felt…relieved, in a way.”

“What do you mean?” Draco asked quietly.

“Everything was so wrong, then,” Harry said. “We were on the run, Ron was gone, people were dying every day…but then we landed in front of that little church and everything felt...normal for a minute. For the first time in months, I felt like I could breathe.”

Harry didn’t look at Draco, and Draco didn’t speak, but he pulled Harry closer, feeling like he understood.


	24. Near To Us Once More

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

Sometimes, Draco awoke in the middle of the night with fire blazing behind his eyelids, with the terror of death strangling him in his sleep. It was always the same, watching Crabbe falling to his death, and praying that somebody would be kind enough to tell his mother goodbye for him.

Usually, he was okay. The fire didn’t frighten him, and he could see the beauty of burning embers and orange flames. But occasionally, all he could see was danger.

Earlier in the night, he’d jumped when his father had lit the Yule Log. Harry had been the only one to notice, being the closest to him, but Draco had hated the fear all the same.

But as if he could hear the thoughts tearing through Draco’s mind, Harry rolled over and pulled Draco into his embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more day to go!


	25. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)

“Well,” said Draco, climbing into bed beside Harry late on Christmas night. “We survived.”

Harry laughed quietly. “I guess we did.”

“And?” Draco asked. “How do you feel?”

“Relieved,” Harry said slowly. “But…happy, I think.”

“You think?”

Harry kicked Draco gently beneath the covers. “Fine. This went much better than I thought it would.”

“Good,” said Draco, and he pressed a kiss to Harry’s lips. “I’m glad we came.”

“Me too,” Harry murmured, resting his head on Draco’s chest and smiling when Draco draped an arm over him.

“Merry Christmas, Harry,” Draco whispered.

“Merry Christmas.”

Draco spelled off the lights in the room, and Harry’s eyes drifted shut, and he let Draco’s quiet heartbeat lull him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's over! Thank you everyone for reading and for your comments! Even though I didn't respond to many, which I usually try to do, I did read every single one of them, and they kept me motivated while writing this _and_ during finals week! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!


End file.
